Review of Suzuka: Volume 2

Introduction

Volume 1 of Suzuka was a surprise, a romantic comedy that actually developed the romance, instead of just offering a promise of a relationship, then filling the runtime with filler and comic antics. Those first five episodes walked the fine line between farce and angst, and managed to deliver a charming story that entertained, with well-written characters that had more meat to their bones than the usual harem anime stereotypes. But one volume does not a series make, and I have been eagerly awaiting volume 2 to see if the promise continues to be fulfilled.

Yamato Akitsuki is in the first year of High School, and to highlight the significant change in his life, he`s decided to leave Hiroshima and head for the big city, Tokyo. The only way he can get away with this is if he lives with his aunt at her apartment complex. Aunt Ayano runs a girls` dormitory for high school and college students, renowned for its complex of baths, and Yamato will have to earn his room and board by acting as cleaner cum handyman. So far so Love Hina, but it`s when he encounters athlete Suzuka Asahina that his life changes. He`s entranced by the graceful high jumper; she thinks he`s a dork. It`s a match made in bedlam.

The next five episodes of Suzuka are presented on this disc from Revelation.

6. A Day At The Park
Life is a constant routine of training for Suzuka, and she doesn`t have a lot of free time to herself. But when a day off comes up, Yamato scores some free tickets for the local amusement park. Asking her out proves to be difficult, with more than a few obstacles strewn in his path. What fate gives with one hand, it takes away with the other, and Yamato has a supreme talent for putting his foot in his mouth.

7. Decision
Yamato is depressed. He`s probably just blown it with Suzuka, and he`s finding it hard to smile through the pain. He isn`t expecting relationship advice from overbearing college student Yuka, but once again he resolves to prove himself to Suzuka, and if it means joining the Track and Field Club, he will. Suzuka thinks he`s doing it for the wrong reasons, best friend Yasunobu thinks he`s in danger of becoming a stalker, and classmate Honoka (who has a crush on him) also advises him against it.

8. Distance
Yamato learns what he has let himself in for when he goes to the first day of practice, and finds that despite his determination to succeed, he`s the most out of shape athlete there. But still, he gets a warm welcome from the Track & Field Club, with one notable exception. Suzuka still thinks that he isn`t taking it seriously. Meanwhile watching Yamato train just intensifies Honoka`s crush on him, and what worked for one could work for another. Soon the Track & Field Club has a new member.

9. A Frame In Time
The intensive training is paying off for Yamato, and with the preliminaries coming up for the Tokyo Metropolitan meet; it`s time to select who will represent the Track & Field Club. Yamato isn`t confident, but his form is more than impressive. But seeing Yamato break 11 seconds for the 100 metres triggers unhappy memories for Suzuka, and she`s treating him worse then ever.

10. An Old Flame
When people begin comparing him to Kazuki Tsuda, Yamato gets suspicious. The day before the meet, he thinks about asking Suzuka out again, but she leaves early, apparently to spend time with this Tsuda. Against all common sense, Yamato follows her, but he doesn`t expect to end up at a cemetery.

Video

Suzuka gets an unproblematic 4:3 transfer. That`s with the exception as usual of the credit sequences. The credit sequences are usually re-edited with English text, and that process degrades the image somewhat, resulting in significant aliasing. The clean credit sequences of course have none of that, but it does contrast against the main animation quite obviously.

The animation itself is dynamic but fair, the character designs are very pleasant, and the backgrounds are simple but effective. This is a show that really doesn`t need the bells and whistles, and does perfectly well without them. The pastel palette, and the lighter feel, all contribute to a generally pleasant atmosphere and the show does very well in that respect.

Audio

You get a choice of DD 2.0 English and Japanese, accompanied with translated English subtitles and a signs track. This isn`t an action led show, and the dialogue is clear throughout, so the stereo track is called on to do little more than establish some atmosphere and music. I tried a little English and the dub is up to Funimation`s usual high standard, but my perennial bugbear of teenaged girls apparently voiced by mature women is apparent here with the English voice actress of Suzuka. Your mileage will differ depending on how you like your dubs. Incidentally, this is one of those dubs where the theme tunes are re-recorded with English lyrics. I haven`t seen that in a while, but it`s a pleasant addition.

Features

The usual anime extra features show up here. You get the typical jacket picture, textless songs and trailers (in this case for Peach Girl and Mushi-shi). The Aoba High School Yearbook is a 1½-minute slideshow of stills from the show.

This time around there is an actor commentary, and Leah Clark (Suzuka), and Todd Haberkorn (Yamato) meet each other face to face for the first time in order to record the track. It`s your usual anime commentary, light and frivolous, with the occasional burst of giggles, and if you are lucky, the odd snippet of pertinent information.

Conclusion

The path of teen romance is strewn with pitfalls, but Suzuka manages to chart a course between angst and comedy that hits all the right notes with this reviewer. This second volume merely builds on what has come before, and it`s turning out to be another compelling and unmissable anime series. If you took a chance on the first volume, and were as pleasantly surprised as I was, then this second volume should be an instant purchase.

Poor Yamato! He couldn`t have picked a more perplexing object for his affections, and while the previous volume ended on a high note, as it seemed that he was beginning to get close to Suzuka, it`s all downhill in this volume as he keeps getting it wrong, no matter what he tries to do. Luck doesn`t seem to be on his side when he decides to spend the day with Suzuka at the local theme park, but despite an interfering cat, a rainy day and awkward communication, it looks as if it will work out, until he decides to declare himself. It`s odd as Suzuka was gradually warming to him, in her own abrasive manner, but when she was confronted with his feelings, she realised what was happening and pulled away.

After that it`s as if Yamato can`t do anything right. He decides to impress her by becoming an athlete himself, and he joins the Track & Field Club. She accuses him of insulting her and the other athletes by not taking the sport seriously. But when he begins to apply himself, truly make an effort, and even excel at his chosen discipline, it awakens tragic memories in Suzuka, and we finally learn just why she is always either hot or cold towards Yamato, what lies behind her abrasive attitude, and we develop some sympathy for her character.

Suzuka is hitting all the right notes. It manages to evoke sympathy and that urge to vicariously cheer the couple on. But the emotion is never allowed to become mawkish or sentimental, with a light thread running through the show, an eye on the entertainment and comedy. The central couple carry the weight of the story, while the supporting cast add much to the humour. There isn`t an ounce of filler either, with the episodes densely packed with narrative. You`re definitely getting your money`s worth in that respect, and I found that watching an episode at a time was enough to give me a decent dose of story, rather than just sitting and enjoying the whole disc in one go.

Suzuka as a teen romance anime is special indeed. The romance develops for one thing, the comedy never overwhelms the story, nor does the angst ever overpower. It has appealing characters and a deft touch with the writing that is very impressive. This second volume is just as fervently recommended as the first.

You may have seen Revelation`s release schedule for 2008 and have noticed that they are trying out a quarterly release schedule, which threatens to make the anticipation unbearable for several series. Suzuka was noticeable by its absence from the list, but having e-mailed Revelation, you can expect volume 3 in April. Support your local anime industry. Buy British! er, Japanese! You know what I mean...